Slip operating mechanism for rotary machines



J. R. MARTIN Oct. 22, 1957 SLIP OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 14. 1952 INVEN TOR. W 7%11 juim a aw W a l TTOE'WLEYJ Oct. 22, 1957 J. R. MARTIN 2,810,552

SLIP OPERATING 'mcmnxsu FOR ROTARY MACHINES Filed Jan. 14, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet '2 L/o/m R. Mar f/n INVENTOR.

BY M

A TTOR/VEKS J. R. MARTIN Oct. 22, 1957 SLIP OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY MACHINES Filed Jan. 14. 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTOR/VE Ks Oct. 22, 1957 J. R. MARTIN SLIP OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY MACHINES Filed Jan. 14. 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 do/m R Mar 2//? INVENTOR.

Oct. 2 2, 1957- J. R. MARTIN 2,810,552

SLIP OPERATING nEcx-xmsm FOR ROTARY MACHINES Filed Jan. 14, 1952 e Shets-Sheet' 5 John R Mari/n INVENTOR.

. M j z. W

.AITORNEKS J. R. MARTIN Oct. 22, 1957 SLIP OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY MACHINES Filed Jan. 14, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 m J! r M R N e M INVENTOR.

BYZ

ArroR/vfxs SLIP OPERATING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY MACHINES John R. Martin, Houston, Tex.; Dulcie Ruth Martin,

administratrix of said John R. Martin, deceased, assignor to The National Supply Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 14, 1952, Serial No. 266,377

Claims. (Cl. 255-23) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in master bushings for the usual rotary table employed in well drilling operations.

This application is filed as a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application, Serial No. 774,383, filed September 16, 1947, now abandoned.

The usual rotary table which is employed in well drilling operations is formed with a bore for receiving a master bushing, and such bushing is provided with a slip bowl for receiving pipe supporting slips used during the lowering and raising of the pipe within the well bore. The master bushing is also ordinarily provided with a Kelly bushing driving socket for receiving the Kelly bushing which engages and drives the kelly during the drilling operation. With the usual type of master bushing the slips are employed during running of the pipe, at which time the Kelly bushing is removed from the master bush ing; similarly, when the Kelly bushing, is in place during the drilling operation the slips are removed from the slip bowl of the master bushing. The necessity of removing and inserting the slips and of inserting and removing the Kelly bushing involves considerable time and trouble and also the particular manner of insertion and removal of the slips during pipe running operations entails possible injury to the operator.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a master bushing having all of the advantages of the present type of master bushing, and in addition having an improved slip assembly which is actually a part of said master bushing, whereby operation and actuation of the slips is facilitated.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved master bushing having a slip bowl and slip assembly mounted'in the lower portion thereof and in efiect forming a part thereof, whereby the slips may be expanded or retracted without the necessity of complete removal of the slips from the bushing.

Another object is to provide an improved master bushing having a slip assembly mounted in its lower portion, together with means for actuating the slips of said assembly from a point beneath the bushing and rotary table, whereby the rotary table top is kept clear of any mechanism required to actuate the slips.

Another object is to provide a master bushing having the usual Kelly drive socket in its upper end and having a slip assembly which is actuated entirely within the confines of the master bushing.

A still further object is to arrange the slips which are mounted within the master bushing in a manner that said slips are retracted into the wall of the bushing bore so as to leave the bore of the bushing fully open when said slips are in a retracted or inactive position.

A further object is to provide a master bushing of the character described wherein the operating mechanism for the slips is below the rotary table and may be either manually or power operated.

The construction designed to carry out the invention 2,810,552 Patented Got. 22, 1957 will be hereinafter described together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 11.of Figure 2 of a rotary table having a master bushing constructed in accordance with the invention mounted therein and illustrating the slips in pipe engaging position,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the rotary table,

Figure 3 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of the master bushing illustrating the slips in a retracted position,

Figure 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3,

FigureS is a horizontal cross-sectional viewvtaken on the line 55'of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is an isometric view of the master bushing,

Figure 7 is a partial isometric view of the bushing having portions thereof broken away to clearly illustrate the internal structure thereof,

Figure 8 is an isometric view showing the outer portion of one of the slips,

Figure 9 is a similar view showing the inner portion or gripping surface of one of the'slips,

Figure 10 is a partial transverse sectional view of a modifiedform of the invention showing the slips in pipe engaging position,

Figure 11 is a similar view showing the slips of this form in a retracted position,

Figure 12 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line 1212 of Figure 10,

Figure 13 is a partial isometric view with a portion ofthe bushing removed in order to show the internal structure of the bushing illustrated in Figures 10 to 12, and

Figure 14 is an isometric view showing the outer portion of one of the slips of the modified form.

In thedrawings the numeral 10 designates the annular housing of the usual rotary table, which housing is secured by bolts 11 or other means to a suitable supporting'structure (not shown). The housing is formed with a bore 12 which receives the annular extension 13 of a gear table 14. The table 14 and its extension 13 are rotatable within the housing, said table being mounted onsuitable bearings 15. The table may be driven in any Well known manner as by a bevel gear 16 formed on the extending flange portion of the table. The bore 17 of thegear table is recessed at its upper end to'provide a square socket 18, and said socket is larger than the bore to provide an annular shoulder 19 therebetween.

In carrying out the present invention the improved master bushing generally indicated at A is adapted to be inserted within the bore 17 and socket 18 of the gear table and, as is clearly shown in Figure 6, the bushing includes a cylindrical body portion Ztland a square head portion 21 which is enlarged with respect to the body. The squared head portion 21 is engageable within the square socket 18 of the gear table while the cylindrical body' 20 is engageable within the bore 17 of said table; the engagement of the squared head 21 within the socket 18 provides a drive connection whereby rotation of the rotary table will impart rotation to the master bushing A.

The construction of the master bushing A is clearly illustrated'in Figures 6 and 7, and, as shown in such figures, the body 2% is formed with a bore 21a extendingentirely therethrough. The lower portion of the bore is tapered, as shown at 22, and this tapered surface is inter rupted by an annular recess 23. As Willbe explained, the tapered surface 22 forms a slip seating surface which coacts with gripping slips B for engaging a pipe P extending through the assembly. Above the tapered portion 22 the bore is reduced as indicated at 24 to form an internal overhanging shoulder 25 within the body. Above the reduced portion of the bore 24 said bore is inclined outwardly at 26 to form a slip bowl and immediately above the bowl a square socket 27 is provided. This square socket being larger than the bowl provides a flat surface or shoulder 28 between the bowl and the socket. The socket 27 is provided for receiving the usual Kelly drive bushing (not shown) which is employed when it is desired to rotate a Kelly joint during the drilling operation.

A plurality of slots 29 which extend entirely through the wall of the body 20 are provided for the purpose of receiving the slips B when the same are in retracted position. These slots are clearly shown in Figures 6 and 7. Extending vertically through the body 20 of the bushing at a point aligned with the slots 2% are a plurality of vertical passages 30. As will be explained, these passages are adapted to receive the operating rods for thegripping slips B. To permit insertion of the operating rods from the upper end of the bushing A, a plurality of recesses 31 extend downwardly through the head portion 21 of the bushing, each r ecess'31 being vertically aligned with one of the passages in the lower portion of the body 20.

A plurality of gripping slips B are adapted to be disposed in the lower portion of the bushing, and each slip is constructed in the manner shown in Figures 8 and 9; each slip includes a generally arcuate body 32 having gripping teeth 33. The outer surface of each slip is formed on a taper or inclination 34, with the tapered surface being interrupted by a recess 35. When the slips are in pipe engaging position, as shown in Figure 1, the tapered surface 34 of each slip is engaged with the tapered surface 22 of the bore of the bushing, the coaction between said surfaces maintaining the slips in gripping position with the pipe P. When the slips B are raised to the position shown in Figure 3, the. recess 35 in the rear surface of each slip spans the upper portion of the tapered surface 22. At the same time, the lower portion of the tapered surface 34 of each slip is received within the recess 23 in the wall of the bore. This arrangement permits the gripping teeth 33 of the slips to clear the reduced portion 24 of the bore of the bushing. It will be evident that when the slips move into an upper position, as shown in Figure 3, the upper portion of said slips may enter the slots 29 which are formed in the wall of the body 29 of the bushing.

For guiding the slips in their vertical movement during operation and maintaining the same in alignment, a plurality of substantially wedge-shaped blocks 35b (Fig ure 7) are secured withinthe lower portion of the bore 21a. These blocks are welded or otherwise secured in position beneath the shoulder 25, and their inner surfaces 351: form a continuation of the wall 24 of the bore of the bushing. The blocks 35b merely function as spacers which separate the slips B and guide said slips during operation.

For operating the slips B, each slip is formed with a recess 36 at its upper end for receiving one end of a connecting link 37. The link 37 has its other end connected with an extension lug 38 formed at the upper end of an operating rod or post 39. As is clearly shown in Figure 1, each operating rod 39 extends downwardly through one of the passages 30 in the body 20 of the bushing and has its lower end connected to an operating ring 40. The ring 40 is provided with an annular groove 41 within which rollers 42 engage. The rollers 42 are mounted on the ends of an operating yoke 43 (Figure 5) which yoke is preferably made integral with lever 44. The lever 44 is pivoted at 45 to a fixed support and has at its outer end a handle 46. It will be evident that when the handle 46 is swung, the connection between the rollers 42 and the ring 40 will result in a raising and lowering of said ring to raise and lower the slips B within the master bushing A. Because of the connection of the rollers within the annular groove 41, it will be obvious that the ring 40, together with the operating rods and slips, may rotate with respect to the yoke and the parts connected therewith.

In assembling the slip unit within the lower end of the bushing, the slips B may be inserted within the lower portion of the bore of said bushing, while the operating rods 39 may be moved downwardly through the recesses 31 in the square head portion 21 of the bushing. The rods thus move downwardly into the slots 29 and may then be inserted through the openings 30 in the lower portion of the body, after which said rods are connected with the operating ring 40.. The links 36 may of course be connected with the rods and slips after the rods and slips are in position within the bushing.

It is believed that the operation of the apparatus is evident from the foregoing. The master bushing Ais mounted within the gear table 14 and has the slips B mounted in the lower portion thereof. The master bushing has the upper slip bowl 26 provided therein for receiving manually insertable slips; this bowl is provided in the event that the lower slips B become inoperative for any reason. The upper portion of the master bushing has the usual socket 27 for receiving the Kelly drive bushing which is not shown.

With the bushing A in position within the rotary table, the pipe P may be run downwardly into the well bore in the usual manner. The lever 44 will be employed for actuating the slips B and causing them to engage and disengage the pipe P as the pipe running operations are carried out. When engaged with the pipe the slips B are in the position shown in Figure 1 with the teeth thereof engaging the outer surface of the pipe. At this time, the tapered outer surface 34 of each slip is engaged with the tapered surface 22 within the lower portion of the bushing, and the slips are maintained in gripping position. When the slips are to be disengaged it is only necessary to swing the operating lever 44 which results in raising the rods 39 and moving the slips into the position shown in Figure 3. Because of the pivotal link connection 37 between each rod 39 and each slip B, gravity assists in moving the slips B into a retracted position. The point of suspension of each slip is such that as the rod is lifted, each slip undergoes a swinging motion which assures that the slip will move into its retracted position. Similarly, when the operating rods 39 are lowered to move the slips into pipe engaging position, the weight of each slip will tend to urge said slip downwardly along the taper 22, whereby gravity' assists in moving the slip into pipe engaging position.

After the pipe has been run into the well and the kelly connected, it is only necessary to actuate the lever 44 and retract the slips to the position shown in Figure 3. The usual Kelly drive bushing (not shown) may then be lowered into engagement with the upper socket 27 of the master bushing, after which the drilling operation may be carried out. Because of the connection between the operating ring 40 and the yoke 43, a rotation of the rotary table to rotate the pipe will result in a rotation of the slip assembly and ring 40. Thus, the slips remain in the master bushing at all times and'are, therefore, readily available for use when needed. The master bushing has all of the advantages of the usual bushing in that it will drive the Kelly drive bushing as required for drilling operations. The mechanism which actuates the slips is beneath the rotary table and is completely out of the way, thereby clearing the rotary table top for the various operations which are necessary during well drilling. Although four gripping slips have been illustrated, it is evident that any desired number of slips may be used within the bushing; actually, it has been found that three slips spaced equi-distant around the body of the bushing A will be suflicient for supporting the well pipe.

In Figures to 14, a modified form of theinvention idillustrated. In this form a. rotary table: housing, 10a. is secured to a suitable baseior foundationand has a gear table 14a rotatably mounted on bearings 15a with respect to said housing. The gear table. 14a is formed with a bore 17a and a square socket 18a. A master bushing C, which is clearly illustrated in Figure 13, is adapted to mount withinthe bore and socket of the rotary table. This master bushing includes a body'portion 'having the lower portion of its bore tapered at51. Above the taper an inclined shoulder 52 is formed and above this shoulder the bore 53 of the. bushing is reduced. Above the reduced portion 53 of the bore a square. Kelly drive socket 54 is formed. Surrounding the socket 54 is a square head portion 55a which fits the socket 18a of the rotary table. A plurality of slots 55 are cut through the wall of the body 50 and extend from the reduced portion 53 of the bore completely through the body. Merging with these slots at their upper ends are recesses. 56 which are cut downwardly through the head. portion 55a of 1 the bushing. These recesses are provided for the insertion of operating rods 39a of the slip assembly. Vertical passages 57 extend through the lower portion of the wall of the body 50 from the base of the slots 55', such passages receiving the rods 39a (Figure 10).

Gripping slips D which are constructed in the manner illustrated in Figure 14 comprise a main body 58 having gripping teeth 59. Outwardly directed wings 60 are formed on each slip and each wing has a tapered surface 61 adapted to coact with the tapered surface 51 of the bushing body 50. Below the wings 60 the outer: surface of the slip. is provided with additional tapered surfaces 62 which are located inwardly of the surfaces 61 of said wings. A rib 63 projects outwardly from the lower portion of the outer surface of each slip and said rib has an outer surface 63a which coacts with the tapered surface 51 of the bushing when the slip is in a lowered position; when the slip is raised, the nb 63 is engageable within a groove 64 formed in the wall of the tapered bore 51 of the bushing body. Each slip D is connected by a link 65 with one of the operating rods 39a.

When the slips D are in gripping position, the surfaces 61 of the wings 60 and the inclined surfaces 63a of the ribs 63 engage the tapered surface 51 of the bore of the bushing and thus, the slips D are held in pipe gripping position; at this time the lower tapered surfaces 62 of each slip D are spaced away from the surface. 51 of the bushing bore.

When the operating rod 39a of each slip is moved upwardly, the slip is moved into the position shown in Figure 11. In this position the wings 60 havemoved outwardly into the slots 55 formed in the bushing while the rib 63 has moved outwardly into the groove 64 in the wall of the bore of the bushing, and the slip has retracted radially or laterally outwardly of the bushing bore. At the same time the inclined or tapered surface 62 of each slip engages the upper portion of the tapered surface 51 within the bore of the bushing. It will therefore be evident that upon a lifting of the operating rods 39a, all of the slips are retracted out of the bore of the bushing.

In the first form of the invention a manual operation of the operating rods 39 is illustrated, but in Figures 10 to 14, a power operation in shown. In this case the lower end of each rod 39a is connected with an operating ring 40a which has connection with a yoke 44a through rollers (not shown) similar to the rollers 42 of the first form. Instead of the yoke 44a having a lever 44, said yoke is pivotally connected to a bar 65 which has its opposite end connected to a piston rod 66. The rod 66 extends into a cylinder 67 and has connection with a piston 68 which is movable within said cylinder. Fluid pressure conductors 69 and 63a are connected with the opposite ends of the cylinder 67 and it will be evident that application of fluid pressure through the conductors will operate the piston 68 to impart vertical movement to the operating, rods-v 39a. When the-rodsare moved downwardly as illustrated in Figure 10, the slips D will move-downwardly along: the taper 51 and thereby engage the; grip-.- ping teeth.59 of theslips with the pipe extending through the assembly. Uponanupward movement of the operating rods 39a, the slips-D will be moved into the position shown in Figure. 11, in which position said slips are retracted outwardly of the. bore of the bushing.

In both forms of the invention the slips aremounted in. the. lower portion of the master bushing and form a part of the master bushing. assembly so astobe always available for use. when needed. By mountingthe slips in the lower portion of the bushing, the upper portion of saidbushing may have the usual Kelly drive socket formed therein and thus normal operations with a Kelly bushing may be carried out without removing the slipsfrom the master bushing or the master bushing from the rotary table. The mechanism which operates the slips is located below the rotary table with the result that the upper surface of' the table is kept clear for any operations which need be carriedoutv during well drilling. It is pointed out that the particular suspension of the slips is such that gravity assiststhe slips in moving not only into a pipe gripping position when the operating rods are lowered but also assists in swinging the slips laterally outwardly toward their retracted positions when the operating rods are lifted. Since the construction permits the' insertion of the operating rods from the upper end of' the bushing, assembly of theslips is simplified, and also any repairs to the mechanism are facilitated.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1; A master bushing for a rotary table including, a cylindrical body having a bore extending therethrough, an angular enlarged head portion at the. upper end of the body, the lower portion of the bore'of the body being tapered to form a slip bowl, said body having radial slots extending through its wall above the slip bowl, said slip bowl. having its tapered surface interrupted by an annular recess, and a plurality of slips movable axially of the body with respect to theslip bowl, each slip having'its outer surfacetapered to seat within the slip bowl and having such outer surface interrupted by a'recess which is opposite the annular recess of the bowl when the slip is in'lowered position, the lower outer portion of each slip being received by the annular recess and the upper rear portion thereof being engaged within one of the slots in the body when the slip is raised to effect retraction of the slips radially outwardly beyond the bore of the body.

2. A master bushing as set forth in claim 1, together with an angular drive socket formed in the upper end of the bore of the body.

3. A master bushing as set forth in claim 2, together With an operating rod for each slip, each rod being slidable within the wall of the body and having its upper end disposed in one of the slots and connected with one of the slips with its lower end projecting from the body, and a common actuator below the body and connected with all of the rods for imparting movement thereto to actuate the slips.

4. The combination with a rotary table of a master bushing comprising, a body insertable Within the bore of the rotary table and having a driving connection therewith, said body having a Kelly bushing drive socket in its upper portion and having a slip bowl below said drive socket for receiving manually insertable gripping slips, said body also having a second slip bowl below the first slip bowl, said second slip bowl being tapered inwardly toward its lower end, a plurality of gripping slips mounted within the body and movable longitudinally of the tapered second bowl, the outer surface of each slip co-acting with the tapered surface of said second bowl so that when the slips are opposite the larger end of the bowl the slips are outwardly a greater radial distance from the axis of the bowl than when said slips 7 are at the smaller end of said bowl, and actuating means connected with thelastreferred to slips for moving said slips upwardly anddownwardly within said second bowl to move said slips inwardly and outwardly in radial directions with respect to the axis of the bowl.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4, wherein the actuating means which is connected'to the plurality of gripping slips which co-act with the second slip bowl is located below the rotary table and includes connecting means extending upwardly through the body and attached to said last named slips. V

6. In a rotary machine, the combination of: a base, a table assembly rotatably mounted upon the base and having a central downwardly converging taper bore, a plurality of pipe-engaging slips received within the taper bore, a plurality of upright parallel posts, bearing means on the table assembly guiding the posts for simultaneous vertical sliding movement, a common lift member positioned below the table assembly for raising the posts as a unit, means rigidly fixing each post to said lift member, and means carried on the upper ends of the posts above the slips and connected to the slips, said connection of the slips to the posts providingfor lateral bodily movement of the slips relative to the bore, as said posts are raised.

, 7. In a. rotary machine, the combination of: a base, a table assembly rotatably mounted'upon the base and having a central downwardly converging taper bore, a plurality of pipe-engaging slips received within the taper bore, a plurality of upright parallel posts, bearing means on the table assembly guiding the posts for simultaneous vertical sliding movement, a common lift memberpositioned below the table assembly for raising the posts as a unit, means rigidly fixing each post to said lift member,

and means carried on the upper ends of the posts above the slips and releasably connected tothe slips, said releasable connection of the slips to the posts providing for lateral bodily movement of the slips relative to the bore, as the posts are raised.

SJFor use with a rotary machine having a base, a table assembly rotatably mounted upon the base, a central downwardly'converging taper bore, and a pipe-supporting slip received within the taper bore, the improvement comprising: an upright post, bearing means on the table assembly guiding the post for vertical sliding movement and spaced laterally from the axis of rotation of the table assembly, power means below the table as sembly for raising and lowering the post, a bracket removably connected to the upper end of the post, and

a link pivotally connecting'said bracket to saidpipe supporting slip, and providing for .lateral bodily move-f ment of the slip relative to the here, as thepostis raised; 9. In a rotary machine, the combination of: a base, a table assembly rotatably mounted uponthe base and having a central downwardly converging taper bore, a plurality of pipe-engaging slips received within the taper bore, a plurality of upright parallel posts, bearing means on the table assembly guiding the. posts for simultaneous vertical sliding movement, a common lift member positioned below the table assembly for raising the posts as a unit, means rigidly fixing each post to said lift member, a bracket removably connected to the upper end of each post, and a link pivotally connecting each bracket to one of said pipe-supporting slips, respectively, and pro: viding for lateral bodily movement of the slips relative to the bore, as the posts are raised. v

10. In a rotary machine, the combination of: a base, a table assembly rotatably mounted upon the base and having a central downwardly converging taper bore, a plurality of pipe-engaging slips received within the taper bore, a plurality of upright parallel posts, bearing means on the table assembly guiding the posts for simultaneous vertical sliding movement, a common lift ring positioned below the table assembly for raising the posts as a unit,- means rigidly fixing each post to said lift ring, and means carried on the upper ends of the posts above the slips and connected to the slips, said connection of the slips to the posts providing for lateral bodily movement of the slips relative to the bore, as said posts are raised, power means on the base for actuating the lift ring to move the posts longitudinally, said means including a rock shaft on the base, a yoke operatively connected to the rock shaft and having roller elements engaging the ring, and powermeans for turning the yoke about the rock shaft axis. a

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,341,702 B1ack, June 1, 1920 1,945,876 Young Feb. 6, 1934 2,030,111 Long Feb. 11, 1936 2,088,830 Abegg Aug. 3, 1937 r 2,245,592 Jones .L June 17, 1941 2,572,318 Church Oct. 23, 1951 2,594,446 Kelly Apr. 29, 1952 

